Impossible Reputation
by Valentine Taylor
Summary: Matt dates tons of girls, but none of them really mean anything. Will he notice when a girl actually likes him for him? ***Sorato***


A/N: This idea came to me while listening to the song "The Right Kind of Wrong".  This is a one-shot written on a whim.  Please R&R! ^_~

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the songs named in this fic, although I love all of them.  I also don't own Digimon, but I think that is obvious…

~*Impossible Reputation*~

By: Valentine Taylor

He walked along the shop-lined street alone, enjoying the warm breeze softly rustling his blonde hair.  He carried his bass over his shoulder, and still wore his green school uniform.  He was torn from his deep thoughts by the feeling he was being followed.  Praying the feeling wasn't caused by a fangirl, he turned around slowly.  To his surprise, he saw standing not far from him the subject of his earlier thoughts.

"Matt, hi," Sora said nervously.  She didn't move any closer to the boy, as if afraid he would run if she did.

"Sora, what's up?"  Matt noticed how cautious Sora looked and how she kept her distance.  However, he also noticed the way the setting sun caught the red in her hair and made her skin glow.  

"Nothing really," she replied, but then less confidently added, "But I was wondering if I could maybe talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure, walk with me."  The girl finally walked up to meet the boy and they continued on together.

"I…I'm not quite sure how I should say this, so it might sound sort of blunt, and I'm sorry.  I just don't want to get all off topic and end up rambling because then you would never actually be told what I want to tell you and that would be really, really-"

"Sora," Matt laughed, "You already are rambling.  What could be so bad, that you can't tell me straight off?  Come on, just say it."

Sora stopped walking and looked at the ground.  Matt turned back and stared at her.  He started to walk back to her.  She stepped back.  "Matt, I…I..I'm sorry.  I can't!"  Sora shook her head, glanced at her friend, turned and ran.

"Well that was…weird," Matt said out loud to himself, completely puzzled.  He shrugged his shoulders and turned again to head home.

~ ~ ~

Tai felt his sister's cold fingertips on his cheeks and turned, trying to block out the icy touch now on his bare back. "Cuiout."  The cold stayed in place.  "Kari, I said cut it out!"  Tai grabbed his pillow and tried to throw it at the girl, but, used to flying objects while waking up her brother, she stepped aside.

"Sorry, mom told me to wake you."  The girl held a cup filled with ice cubes in her right hand.  Her left hand was in the cup, touching the frozen blocks.  "You're gonna be late for school if you don't hurry."  Tai's eyes whipped to the clock on the desk across the room.

"Oh crap!  Why didn't you wake me up fifteen minutes ago?!"

"I'm not your alarm clock Tai!"  With that, Kari swept out of the room so Tai could get dressed.

A few minutes later, the seventeen year old walked into the kitchen to grab a piece of toast before getting his shoes on.  He kissed his mother and said goodbye to his father, and ran in the direction of the high school.

"Kamiya?"  Tai heard the teacher say his name from inside the classroom.

"Here!" he yelled, bounding into the room.

"Late again Mr. Kamiya?  I'll see you after school."  The teacher gave Tai a stern look, then continued with the roll.  As he walked to his seat, he waved to Matt and then to Sora.  He noticed Sora looked less cheerful then usual.  She didn't smile when she saw him, or wave back.  She just turned her eyes back down to her desk.  'Huh,' he thought.  'I'll ask her about it later.'

~ ~ ~

"So Tai, why were you late this time?"  Matt asked his younger friend at lunch.  The four friends sat in a corner of the crowded cafeteria.

"I'm wondering how many days it's been since he was last on time to school," Izzy commented.  "I lost track after a month."  Izzy, Matt and Sora laughed.  Tai fumed.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up guys.  See how funny it is when you have detention everyday for a month."  He frowned.

"I'm never late for school, so I don't think I have to worry about that much," Matt commented.  "Instead, I can spend my time doing things I enjoy.  Like going out."

"What?  I date.  Not like you do, but…" Tai let his statement linger.

"What's that supposed to mean Tai?" Matt asked, anger apparent in his voice.

"Oh you know, Keryn, Lisa, Ami, Whitney, Cammie, Rachael, Meg, Arion," Tai listed as a reply, ticking on his fingers.  "Which one is it this week?  Mina?"

Matt stayed quiet for a few moments.  "So I date a lot of girls.  So?"

"So nothing.  I was just pointing out the fact that you date around more then I do, because I have detention all the time.  See?" Tai said triumphantly,  "It goes with the topic of conversation."

"So who IS it Matt?" Izzy asked.  Matt looked at him like he was crazy.  "Sorry I asked…" 

"Whatever.  Tai's right.  It's Mina.  I'm taking her out on Friday," Matt stopped short.  "Or was it Lina?  No she's Saturday…I think…" Matt looked up.  "What?"

The three other occupants of the table were staring wide-eyed at their older friend.  "Wow Matt," Tai finally said.  "Even I didn't think you were THAT much of a player."

"Shut up Tai!"

"Matt."  Sora spoke for the first time that lunch.  "How are you so sure you won't like the date with the first girl?"  She avoided looking at the boy's eyes.

"Well, it's a system," Matt replied.  "It's the only way I have to not hurt the girls.  I don't want to be mean and immediately say no.  So each one gets one date," Matt explained like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Sora's head shot up, though she still avoided Matt's eyes.  "So you lead them on instead?  That's horrible!" 

"Not really, if you think about it.  They only like me because of my looks anyway.  And because I'm in a band," Matt reasoned.

"But what if someone really did like you?  They'd get just one date like everyone else, and then you'd toss them away like all the others?  Do you know what that would do?  The one date would probably make them like you that much more!"  Sora's voice raised in anger.

"Oh come on Sora!  None of them really like me for me.  I think I'd be able to tell the difference, and no girl as of now likes me that way!"

"Are you sure you'd be able to tell the difference?" Sora retorted.  "I don't think you could!  Your reputation as the biggest player in the school suits you better than I thought!" 

Before anyone could stop her, she had gotten up from the table and ran towards the doors. 

~ ~ ~

"Sora!"  Matt called to the red head in the hall after school.  She ignored his call, continuing to walk away from him.  "Sora, I need to talk to you!"  The girl stopped at her locker, still ignoring her friend.  He caught up with her at her locker.  "Sora, if you don't want to talk to me, that's fine.  Just listen.  I'm sorry for telling you all that stuff at lunch today.  If I had known it would have bothered you that much, I wouldn't have said anything."  Matt ran his fingers through his hair.  "Next time, if something I say bugs you, just say so."  He looked at her face wishing she would look at him.  "I have just found the system works for me.  I know I'm leading dozens of girls on, but I don't see why it bothers you so much.  It has nothing to do with you."  At this, Sora slammed her locker shut as hard as she could.  Matt took a step back as Sora looked him straight in the eyes for the first time that day.  They reminded him of a raging fire. 'She's mad at me.'

"It has everything to do with me!"  Sora's eyes changed from fire to tears, and she stepped around Matt and ran out of the school.

~ ~ ~

When Tai got home from detention, he was surprised to see Sora sitting in his living room with Kari.  Sora looked as if she had been crying.  "Sora, what's wrong?"

"Oh, Tai," Sora sobbed as she got up and put her arms around Tai's neck.  Tai wrapped his arms around her back, returning the hug.  He ran his hands over her back in a comforting motion.

"What's wrong Sora?"

"It hurt Tai…he didn't mean for it to…he doesn't know…but it hurt," she choked out between sobs.

Tai was immediately concerned that she had been hit.  "Who is 'he'?"

"M…M..att."

"Matt?  How did he hurt you?" Tai asked confused.

"Kari…"was all Sora could get out.  Tai's eyes flicked to his sister.

"He hurt her by saying stuff about dating girls once.  That's what she told me."

"Why would that hurt you Sora?"

"Kari…"

"May I be blunt?"  Kari asked the still sobbing girl.  Sora nodded against Tai's chest.  "Tai, Sora likes Matt."

"Of course she does.  She's one of his best friends," Tai stated, somewhat stupidly.

"No Tai.  Sora LIKES Matt."

"She… oh."  Tai looked down at the girl in his arms.  "Have you told him that?"

"I t-tried last night, b-but I couldn't do it."

"Well, I think he needs to know."

"I can't tell him!  N-not after what he told me today!  He probably wouldn't even care!" Sora said bitterly.  Tai gently moved Sora's arms from his neck and lifted her chin so she was looking at him.

"So you can't tell him.  He should still know.  Leave it to me."  Tai kissed the girls lips, then led her to the kitchen, where he got her a glass of water.

"Tai, do you know what a great friend you are?"

Tai just smiled in response

~ ~ ~

The next day, Tai was early for school.

"Oh my God, it's a miracle!"  Matt teased when Tai walked into class 10 minutes early.

Tai looked quickly around the room.  Sora wasn't there yet.  "Can I talk to you Matt?"

"Sure."

"I just wanted to tell you that what you were talking about yesterday really hurt Sora."

"She seemed kind of pissed off after school yesterday.  I still can't figure out what her problem is."

"Matt!  You hurt her!  Her problem is, you hurt her," Tai said, anger already flowing over him.

"I don't see how.  I can understand how she could be mad, but hurt?  I don't get it.  She claimed the system had something to do with her.  I tried to tell her it wasn't the same with friends, but she ran away.  I was going to say she didn't have anything to worry about.  Maybe that's why she's hurt.  She thinks I'm going to 'dump' her!"  Tai wanted to punch the blonde in the face.  Sometimes he could be so stupid.

"Ugh!"  Tai turned away and headed for his seat.  He noticed Sora was now sitting in her seat.  'I wonder if she heard anything.'  Tai shrugged and listened as the teacher started calling the roll.

~ ~ ~

"Hey guys, do you want to go to karaoke after school today?" Izzy asked.

"Sure," Tai, Matt and Sora replied.  Sora wasn't talking to Matt, but that wouldn't stop her from having fun. 

"Cool!  Let's meet at the oak tree after school then."  They agreed on the meeting place, and lunch ended shortly after.

~ ~ ~

The four friends walked in to the karaoke bar and sat at a table.  "Whose turn is it to choose the songs?" Sora asked.  The group had a tradition; each time they went to karaoke, one of them got to choose the first round of songs everyone would sing.  No one could object to what they were told to sing; they HAD to sing it.

"It's Tai's turn I believe," Izzy replied.

"Yes!" Tai exclaimed.  "Let me think.  I'll sing 'You Don't Know What It's Like' by Econoline Crush.  Izzy, I want you to sing, hmm, 'Say That You'll Stay' by Oasis, Matt you're gonna sing "Blurry" by Puddle of Mud and Sora," Tai stopped to think for a few moments.  "Oh, I know the perfect song for you to sing!  Kari blasts it continuously.  You'll sing 'The Right Kind of Wrong' by LeAnn Rimes."

They went up and requested the songs without hesitation.  They were used to singing everything they were told.  It was the tradition.  Matt sang first.  It was obviously great, considering singing was his job.  Then Izzy sang.  It was better then one would think; he sang quite well.  Tai was the same as always, ok, but not as good as Matt, although his voice had improved from when he was younger.  Then it was Sora's turn.  She walked to the microphone and began to sing.  
    
    I know all about
    
    Yeah, about your reputation
    
    And now it's bound to be a heartbreak situation
    
    But I can't help it if I'm helpless every time that I'm where you are
    
    You walk in and my strength walks out the door
    
    Say my name and I can't fight it anymore
    
    Oh I know, I should go
    
    But I need your touch just too damn much
    
    Loving you
    
    Isn't really something I should do
    
    Shouldn't wanna spend my time with you
    
    I should try to be strong
    
    But baby you're the right kinda wrong
    
    Yeah baby you're the right kinda wrong
    
    It might be a mistake
    
    A mistake I'm making
    
    But what you're giving I am happy to be taking
    
    'Cause no one's ever made me feel the way I feel when I'm in your arms
    
    They say you're something I should do without
    
    They don't know what goes on when the lights go out
    
    There's no way to explain
    
    All the pleasure is worth all the pain
    
    Loving you
    
    Isn't really something I should do (yeah)
    
    Shouldn't wanna spend my time with you
    
    I should try to be strong
    
    But baby you're the right kinda wrong
    
    Yeah baby you're the right kinda wrong
    
    I should try to run
    
    But I just can't seem to
    
    'Cause every time I run you're the one I run to
    
    I can't do without
    
    What you do to me
    
    I don't care if I'm in too deep
    
    I know all about
    
    Yeah about your reputation
    
    And now it's about to be a heartbreak situation
    
    But I can't help it if I'm helpless every time that I'm where you are
    
    You walk in and my strength walks out the door
    
    Say my name and I can't fight it anymore
    
    Oh I know, I should go
    
    But I need your touch just too damn much
    
    Heyyy
    
    Loving you
    
    Isn't really something I should do
    
    Shouldn't wanna spend my time with you
    
    I should try to be strong
    
    But baby you're the right kinda wrong (right kinda wrong)
    
    Baby you're the right kinda wrong (baby you're the right kinda wrong)
    
    But baby you're the right kinda wrong

When the song ended, Sora bowed and headed back for the table.  "Wow Sora, that was great!" Matt complimented.  "Tai, can I talk to you?"

Tai looked at the blonde like he was crazy, but consented.  The two went to another table across the room from Izzy and Sora.

"Why'd you say that song was perfect for Sora to sing?"

"You made me get up from my chair and move across the room to ask me that?" Tai asked sarcastically.  

"Tai," Matt said coolly, "Why?"

"Alright, I'm going to be blunt.  I told her I'd take care of it.  I didn't say I would break it gently.  Matt, Sora likes you as more then a friend.  You must be blind."  Tai looked straight at his now shocked friend.  "She tried to tell you, she was hurt by what you said, she came to my apartment yesterday and told me all about it.  You scared her Matt.  She was afraid you wouldn't care.  She was afraid you'd just break her heart."

Matt sat, stunned.  It all made sense now.  Everything Sora had said, why she was mad at him, why she couldn't just come out and talk to him the night before last.  "Oh my God…what did I do?" Matt asked more to himself than Tai.  "Does she think I don't care about her?"

"She thinks you couldn't care for her as more than a friend, and frankly, I don't know if you could."

"I have to talk to her."  Matt got up and quickly made his way back to the others.  "Sora, I need to talk to you.  Now.  Come with me."  Sora looked up at him as if he had two heads.  She was about to tell him off for ordering her around, but over Matt's shoulder, she saw Tai urging her to go.

"Fine."  She got up and let Matt lead her outside.

"Sora, why didn't you tell me?  I wish I had known how you felt.  I wouldn't have said any of the things I've said the past couple of days if I had known.  I feel horrible.  I'm so sorry.  What can I do to make it up to you?"

Sora avoided his eyes.  "I accept your apology, but there's nothing you can do."  Sora felt tears prickle the back of her eyes.  She tried to ignore them, but had to lower her head to hide them from Matt.

"Hey."  Matt placed his hand under Sora's chin and made her lift her eyes to him.  "Are you crying because of me?"  Sora didn't react in any way.  "Sora, please, don't cry.  I didn't realize you had feelings for me.  Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"What good would it have done?" Sora asked bitterly.

"Sora, can I tell you the truth?"  Seeing the girl nod, he continued.  "Yes, I date a lot of girls.  But I'm not really interested in any of them.  Honestly though, I have always thought of you as the one girl I wouldn't mind staying with, I just didn't know how you would feel if I gave it a shot and asked you out, so I just kept my feelings to myself and dated other people."  Sora looked deep into his eyes, searching for some hint of falsehood.  She didn't find one.

"Oh Matt!"  She hugged the tall boy tightly tears running down her cheeks.  "I wish I had known!  Why didn't you tell me?"

Matt laughed at this.  "I think we need to work on our communication skills."  Sora nodded, smiling.  Slowly, Matt leaned down and placed a kiss on Sora's lips.  Then, the new couple walked back into the karaoke bar.  "I'll have to make some cancellations later, I guess.  I don't think I need to go out with anymore girls that I don't like."

"I don't think so either," Sora laughed.

"Well, I see everything worked out for you two. 'All's well that ends well'," Tai commented as they walked back to the table together hand in hand.

Matt and Sora just laughed.

~*The End*~

A/N: Wow, I couldn't think of a way to end this for anything!  It's taken me three and a half hours to do this.  Jeez, that's a long time.  Anyway, I hope it wasn't too bad.  Oh, and the kiss Tai gave Sora was just a friendly kiss.  It didn't mean anything, he was just comforting her.  Please R&R!

-Val ^_~ 


End file.
